Chef John's Ricotta Meatballs

Ingredients

• Servings: 32
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup packed chopped italian parsley
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (28 ounce) jar marinara sauce
• 1 cup water

Recipe

Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 40 mins Ready Time: 1 hr


• saute onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. stir garlic into onion and turn off heat. transfer onion mixture to a large mixing bowl.
• stir ground beef, ricotta cheese, parsley, egg, kosher salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper with onion mixture until almost combined; stir in bread crumbs and continue to mix until thoroughly blended.
• roll about 2 tablespoons of mixture into a 1-inch ball for each meatball. pour 2 tablespoons olive oil in same skillet used to cook onions. place skillet over medium heat and brown meatballs on all sides in hot oil, about 5 minutes. hold a crumpled paper towel in a tongs and use it to remove excess grease from skillet.
• pour marinara sauce and water over meatballs in skillet. stir to combine and bring to a simmer. reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until meatballs are cooked through and no longer pink in the center, about 30 minutes.